New Jersey

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT NEW JERSEY - PAGE 3

Gilbert S. Raposo, of West New York, N.J., son of Gilbert and Virginia Raposo of Madison, died Friday at his home. He was 31. Mr. Raposo was born in Patterson, N.J., and was a systems analyst for Bloomberg Financial Markets in New York. In addition to his parents, Mr. Raposo is survived by his wife, Sara Levis Raposo; one sister, Kristen Ryan of Weymouth, Mass.; one grandfather, Gil Raposo of Leonia, N.J.; and one grandmother, Georgina Azzolini of New Milford, N.J. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 1 p.m. in St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 232 Durham Road, Madison.

For the first time in 33 years, hunters are roaming the forests of northern New Jersey in hope of bagging a black bear. Monday marked the beginning of a bear hunt across 1 million acres of the state in an area that is still rural and undeveloped. More than 10,000 permits are available, and the state's Division of Fish and Wildlife anticipates 500 bears will be killed. Connecticut's bear population is much, much smaller, but is increasing each year. But is it possible that bear hunts will someday become an option for Connecticut hunters?

By ART FELTMAN State Rep. Art Feltman, D- Hartford, is House chairman of the General Assembly's Planning and Development Committee., April 1, 2007

I confess: I grew up in northern New Jersey. Yes, that mess of bottlenecked highways and garbage dumps one smells while driving to or from New England. It's a blurry tangle of identical tract homes, strip malls, indoor shopping malls, acres of parking, gas stations, fast food outlets -- you get the idea. In the county where I was raised, a million people have access to only one park of any size: perhaps 50 green acres in the center of all that asphalt. I came to Connecticut to go to college, but I stayed because of the quality of life here.

A New Jersey man died Saturday after he lost control of his car, which veered into the median on I-91 South, hit three trees and rolled over. Sean A. Velante, 23, was thrown from his Volvo sedan during the accident, which occurred about 12:45 a.m. near Exit 21, police said.

By KAYLA MILLER Kayla Miller, 20, is from West Orange, N.J., and is a senior majoring in communications at the University of Connecticut., May 28, 2005

I am a Jersey girl, born and bred. I grew up in West Orange, and the first 18 years of my life were spent going to the state's many malls and diners and down to the shore. I loved every minute of it. I left New Jersey to go to college at the University of Connecticut. When I told people at UConn that I was from New Jersey, I was shocked by the comments I got. Many people said, "Oh, dirty Jerz," or "The armpit of America." I was disgusted and appalled by these references to my home.

Frank Vandever's various personas have included stockbroker, transvestite, murderer and escape artist. But Vandever, serving a 65-year sentence in the state's harshest prison, has failed in a courtroom attempt to portray himself as a victim of mistaken identity. The 40-year-old former Paine Webber stockbroker made his claim in Superior Courtwhile fighting atransfer to New Jersey, where he is wanted for a spree of robberies after his 1991 escape from Somers prison. Vandever was trying to block his prosecution in the same New Jersey court where a judge last month slapped an additional 100-year sentence on his accomplice -- career thief Ronald Rutan.

A 33-year-old man -- wanted as a fugitive in New Jersey -- was caught inside the Enfield Square Mall early Thursday and charged with burglary, police said. About 3 a.m. Thursday, Officer Mark Rochette was on routine patrol when he noticed a car in a space reserved for the handicapped in the parking lot. As he inspected the area, he noticed a door to the mall was ajar. The officer noticed three men inside the mall walking toward the door and confronted them. One of the men was holding a small radio and said they were part of the mall's security team, police said.

New Jersey authorities plan to retrieve a fugitive picked up by chance this weekend by town police. Officers on routine patrol Friday stopped to check a car that was parked on the wrong side of Prospect Street. Jose Antonio Ramos, 29, of 21 Talcott Ave., was a passenger in the car. He was detained when police checked his name and found there was a warrant for his arrest in Atlantic County, N.J. Ramos was arraigned Monday in Superior Court and was being held in lieu of $150,000 bail, records show.

A 41-year-old Enfield man was ordered held in lieu of $105,000 bail Tuesday, one day after being returned from New Jersey on charges of sexually assaulting two minor girls. Alberto Marquez, of 9 Guild St., is charged with four counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, three counts of illegal sexual contact, second-degree breach of peace and second-degree threatening. Enfield Superior Court Judge Linda Pearce Prestley set bail at $105,000 because she said Marquez presents a risk of flight.

Smack. Catcher Jeff Vlasac took off his glove and shook his hand to get the sting out. Matt Wolski's pitches were indeed fast Tuesday. His curveballs didn't lack velocity, either. When the game was over, Wolski had done it again. He pitched his second no-hitter of the Little League Eastern Regional Tournament, leading New Jersey (Nottingham-Trenton) to a 4-0 victory over New Hampshire (Manchester South) in a winners bracket game at Breen Field. The victory advances New Jersey to the finals of the double-elimination tournament Friday.